Window to the Soul
by YappiChick
Summary: "Do you know what the first thing that caught my attention about you?" / Cortana/John...something / Post Halo: CE


**Set right after the events in First Strike (between Halo: CE and Halo 2). There's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it nod to Halo 4 and The Fall of Reach. Blurring of the friendship/UST line ahead. As always, I'd love to know what you think. And thank you for all of your kind words! :D :D  
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**(And thanks Sarah for catching that typo. :D )**

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"Do you know what the first thing that caught my attention about you?"

Cortana sat cross-legged as John worked on a tablet, outlining his report that he needed to finish for ONI. John didn't look up from the screen. "Luck."

"No." He heard the disapproval in her voice. "That's why I chose you."

John knew that Cortana was bored being stationed on the Cairo platform; more often than not, she would transfer herself to where John was, no matter the hour. Before everything that had happened on the Halo ring, he would have been bothered by the intrusion, but now, he almost looked forward to her near-constant presence.

Not that he would ever admit that to Cortana.

Or himself.

He pulled his gaze away from his work briefly. "My service record."

"Nope." A lazy smile pulled on her lips. She was in the mood to play a game.

Never being one to want to lose, John set down the tablet, readying himself for the challenge. "My resolve to complete a mission."

She raised an eyebrow. "I believe that's called stubbornness to a fault. And no."

"My ability to hold a conversation."

A huff of a laugh passed through her lips. "Not quite." She crossed her arms. "Do you give up?"

His caught a glimpse of the tablet to the side of her. His report was due within the hour. His answer passed through reluctant lips. "Yes."

A triumphant smile passed over her face. "It was your eyes. I saw a picture of you on the wall in Doctor Halsey's office and _that's_ what caught my attention." She gave a half-shrug. "It is rather ironic considering I've never seen them personally."

Her last statement surprised John. He was certain she had seen him without his helmet at least once since they had been assigned to work together.

John thought back to the time since they fled Reach. After they had escaped Installation 04, he had taken his helmet off, but she had been too busy in the computer's systems to activate her avatar. When her hologram finally activated, he had already slipped the customary headpiece into place.

For reasons he was unwilling to explore, he _wanted_ her to see him, the man behind the armor. John reached around and released the locks on the back of his helmet. The hiss of the vacuum being release seemed especially loud in the room.

Cortana's mouth opened in surprise, but no words passed through her lips.

His gaze didn't move away from his AI companion as he lifted the helmet over his head. His blue eyes met hers and he wondered if she still saw what she had first seen reflected in them.

Cortana took a step closer to him. She was so close to his face, John swore he could feel the heat coming from her avatar. She didn't shirk away from his intense gaze. Her eyes searched his.

A wave of something akin to nervousness settled in John's stomach. Why was he so affected by her scrutiny? He knew what she was seeing: a man with pale skin, short brown hair, and blue eyes. There was nothing remarkable about his face.

And yet, he seemed to have caught her undivided attention.

Several more seconds passed. John fought the urge to look away. He had faced waves of Covenant without flinching; he could handle his friend looking at his exposed face for a handful of seconds.

Finally -_thankfully_- she moved back. Her eyes shifted away from his face and John felt like he could breathe again. "They are as thoughtful as I remember, but..." Her voice trailed off for a second. Then, she raised her eyes to his. "You look less lonely."

"Because I am." The words slipped from his mouth.

Yes, he still grieved for his fellow Spartans -and always would- but they were often separated for years at a time. John knew his status as a Spartan didn't afford him the luxury of making friends on the battlefield; he had no home. He was a nomad moving to the next fight to protect humanity.

The only constant John had was himself.

Until Cortana.

"They're talking about reassigning me." Her voice was a whisper. "ONI wants to keep me here on Earth."

"That's _not _going to happen." John didn't know what she saw in his eye, but it caused her to gasp slightly. "I need your insight on the battlefield."

_I need you._ John couldn't convince himself to say the words, but he knew she heard his unspoken confession.

Her coloring flashed pink for the briefest second. "You sure know how to flatter a girl."

John looked away from her. Allowing himself to appreciate Cortana's intelligence and commitment to completing all of their objectives was one thing. But there was something underneath, something unfamiliar and intimidating, that was starting to form under the surface.

Something stronger than friendship.

Something that he would have never thought possible.

Something that was becoming impossible for him to ignore.

He shifted in his seat. The forgotten tablet sat on the table. "I should get back to my report." His voice was stiff.

If Cortana was taken aback by his sudden shift in mood, she didn't show it. She took a step in his direction and gave him a knowing look. "I feel the same way, John."

It was the first time she had spoken his first name. That nervous feeling returned in his gut, along with an unexpected warmth located somewhere in his chest.

Then, she suddenly disappeared, giving John the space he both needed and resented.

If it was a normal world, if he and Cortana were just two civilians, things would be so much different.

But, they weren't.

They were the team that had destroyed the Halo ring and had managed to stop the Covenant armada from getting to Earth. They were the Spartan and the AI, a duo whose success managed to surprise everyone. Including themselves.

Something told John that humanity would need them again.

And they had to be ready to do whatever it took to protect them.

No matter the cost.


End file.
